The garment according to the invention fulfills the need for women to extend their dress for various reasons with a multi-purpose staple to enhance their existing wardrobe. The garment according to the invention can function as a skirt, dress or skirt extension, and/or dress.
Fashion conscious modern women can face many issues when getting dressed. A woman may find that her dress or tunic is too short for whatever reason, that it's not warm enough, not dressy enough, not appropriate, shows too much leg, needs color, and/or needs renewed excitement. Or perhaps a woman is busy and wants to take an outfit from day to evening in a fashionable, easy way; the garment according to the invention solves many wardrobe issues with one multi-purpose shapewear “skirt.”
To date, women have been getting by with various make-do items in their closet to extend their dresses, tunics or tops or even sometimes, they have not been able to wear items in their closet because they did not have an appropriate item to wear to fix their wardrobe issues, rendering some of their wardrobe unworn and useless. The reason being, traditional skirts, undergarments or petticoats may be cumbersome and likely will not be smooth or maintain control. A typical skirt may have a waistband, pockets or a finish on it that would show through if a dress or skirt was worn over it if the typical skirt was used as a dress extension. In addition, the fabric of the skirt may conflict with the dress or skirt worn over it and bunch up creating additional problems for the wearer.
An undergarment may have lace or other fixtures on it which would create lumps if a dress or skirt was worn over it.
A petticoat was traditionally just an undergarment for fuller dresses or skirts and most portions of it were not designed to be seen and add any value to the overall look of an outfit. It could also be cumbersome under a skirt or dress due to the fuller nature of it.
Therefore the above traditional make-do items that women have been wearing to extend a skirt or dress, may not have provided the wearer with an improved appearance but rather an unprofessional, messy appearance and more wardrobe issues than without it.
The garment according to the invention provides fashion conscious women with a professional, quality, and comfortable option in the form of a new staple in their wardrobe which will enhance their existing wardrobe for the various reasons mentioned above.
The main garment portion of the garment according to the invention comprises “shapewear.” The term “shapewear” in the present specification and claims does not include what is commonly considered a traditional feature thereof, namely that it necessarily functions as an undergarment. While the garment according to the invention can serve primarily as an undergarment it is not restricted to such. Rather the term “shapewear” as used in the present specification and claims means: garment material in a form that smooths and controls the wearer's shape to provide the illusion of a more alluring figure by including a percentage of elastic material, such as spandex or natural latex fibers.
One of the unique features of the garment according to the invention is the provision of a decorative fabric band attached to the bottom of the skirt in the form of a colorful solid band, ruffles (including double ruffles or any number of ruffles), meshes, laminates, ITY (interlock twist yarns), leather strips, etc., which are flexible, stylish and sexy. The fabric patterns vary from solids to geometric patterns to a wide variety of other manifestations. This feature turns the garment according to the invention into not just an undergarment, the typical use for classic shapewear, but as either an undergarment or an outer garment in the form of a skirt, a dress or skirt extension, or a mini-dress. It provides a sexy modern twist on the traditional petticoat.
For example, a woman may be dressing to attend an event and realize that her dress is too short and not appropriate for many reasons. It could be a cool day, raining, and the event requires an outfit “appropriate” for the classy occasion. The garment according to the invention provides a solution to that issue, allowing the woman to still wear the dress but correct the above mentioned problems. She can simply slip the garment according to the invention up under her dress and slide it into her desired position on her body to the length that she wants. The garment according to the invention will act as a dress extension by exposing as much of, or as little of, the band, ruffle, or skirt that the woman wants. This will extend her dress in a fashionable and comfortable way so that it feels more appropriate, while at the same time providing a bit of warmth to fend off the dampness from the rainy day, as well as providing smooth control so as not to be noticed when worn under a dress or skirt as a dress extension, providing the wearer with an aesthetically pleasing and professional, complete look.
Alternatively, the woman can wear a garment according to the invention as a skirt to work, wearing it with a blouse and blazer for a professional look. If she wants to go out to dinner after work and dress up her outfit, she can remove the blazer and wear just the blouse or change her blouse to a dress or another kind of top to look dressier than her work attire. If she'd like to go out to a dance club later in the evening, she can simply remove whatever kind of top she is wearing and slide the garment according to the invention up over her bust line and she will have a mini-dress to wear out dancing.
The garment according to the invention is wrinkle resistant so that it can be rolled up making it ideal for travel. The skirt can be dressed up or down so that the wearer can go from the beach to lunch or dinner providing the wearer fashionable comfort and versatility when one doesn't want to pack too much.
The completely seamless shapewear garment according to the invention is smooth and comfortable when worn under a dress, tunic, top or blouse. Due to the snug nature of shapewear, the skirt can be slid into a desired position to give the wearer whatever length she wants, comfortably, and with the knowledge that it will stay in place. The wearer can slide it up to the bust line, wear it on the waist, slide it onto her hips, or fold it on the waist area (on the hips or waist).
The garment according to the invention may have a wide variety of sizes. For example a mini skirt version may be 14 inches (36 centimeters) long (up to the decorative band) for a “Small” and about one half inch (1.27 centimeters) longer′ for each size larger (e.g. Medium, Large, and Extra Large). A “Small” regular length skirt version may be 18.5 inches (47 centimeters) to the decorative band and is preferably about one half inch (1.27 centimeters) longer for each size larger. There is also a commensurate increase in the waist opening as size increases.
The decorative fabric band, in the form of a colorful smooth band or a single set of ruffles, may be about 4 inches (26 centimeters) in finished length from the bottom edge of the skirt to the bottom of the decorative band. In a double ruffle version there is an under layer that may be 4.5 inches (11 centimeters) long so that about one half inch (1.27 centimeters) or so extends below the first outer ruffle. The edges of the ruffles are preferably sewn and finished by a serging machine.
The decorative fabric bands, when smooth bands (not ruffles) on all the skirts are preferably doubled in fabric so that they are folded over at the bottom of the band meaning that no sewing or finished edge is required to finish the bottom of the band. This gives a clean, finished look to the decorative fabric band with no hem showing, thereby enhancing the overall functionality of the seamless shapewear garment.
The smooth band or ruffles are preferably attached at the bottom of the skirt by serging the seams together. This sewing technique ensures the stretch required for the garment is accommodated so as to give a secure yet flexible, long-lasting garment as well as comfort for the wearer. The garment according to the invention stretches when the wearer walks, sits, or crosses her legs. There is only one finished seam on the side of the decorative fabric band (to attach to itself for a finished look) which creates the illusion of the entire garment according to the invention being seamless so as to eliminate lumps or bumps showing through when worn under an outer garment.
According to one aspect of the invention there is provided a combination skirt, dress or skirt extension, and dress, garment for a human wearer comprising: A tubular main garment portion having an open top and an open bottom and having a seamless dimension of elongation of at least about thirteen inches (thirty three centimeters) between the open top and bottom and a diameter sufficient to receive at least part of a human wearer's torso, and having sufficient elastic material so as to smooth and control a human wearer's body. The tubular main garment portion is narrowed to a bandless compression portion adjacent the open top thereof. And a tubular decorative fabric band is operatively attached to the main garment portion adjacent the open bottom thereof and has a width in the dimension of elongation of at least about three inches (seven and one half centimeters) past the open bottom of the main garment portion.
The tubular decorative fabric band may comprise a single set of ruffles or multiple sets of ruffles, or a smooth band (e.g. of a solid color or pattern utilizing as the main color thereof a color aside from white or black or shades thereof). The tubular decorative band is preferably operatively attached to the main garment portion by serging.
The compression portion may have approximately the same percentage of elastic material (e.g. spandex or natural latex fibers) as the rest of the main garment portion, and may have a width of about three to five inches (7.5-12.5 centimeters); or the compression portion may have more elastic material than the rest of the main garment portion, such as at least triple the percentage of elastic material as the rest of the main garment portion. For example the entire garment main portion may have about 5% spandex and the rest non-elastic material such as nylon, and the compression portion 30% spandex (and a width up to about five to seven inches [12.5-18 centimeters]) and the rest nylon or other desirable fibers.
While the main garment portion may have a single thickness if opaque enough to prevent a “see-through” look, preferably the main garment portion is doubled over to form two layers. The two layers are integral at the open top thereof, and both layers are connected to the decorative band at the open bottom. Preferably the layers are substantially unconnected at the rest of the main garment portion, although some stitching may be provided at an intermediate location between the top and bottom.
According to another aspect according to the invention there is provided a garment for a human wearer comprising: A shapewear tubular main garment portion having an open top and an open bottom and having a seamless dimension of elongation between the open top and bottom and a diameter sufficient to receive at least some part of a human wearer's torso. The tubular main garment portion is preferably narrowed to a compression portion adjacent the open top thereof. And, a tubular decorative fabric band of material is operatively attached to the main garment portion adjacent the open bottom thereof by serging, and extends past the open bottom of the main garment portion.
The tubular decorative smooth band is preferably doubled over, and is as described with respect to the previous embodiment. The main garment portion is preferably doubled over to form two layers, as also described above, and is produced on a circular knitting machine. The compression portion also may have the construction of the options set forth above.
The garment may desirably be used in a procedure to provide a dress or skirt extension by positioning the garment under the dress or skirt and then adjusting its location on the wearer's body (held in place by its shapewear construction) so that only all or a significant part of the decorative band is visible from the exterior of the dress or skirt.
According to yet another embodiment of the invention there is provided an ensemble for a human female comprising: An interior skirt of shapewear having an open top and an open bottom and a dimension of elongation of at least about thirteen inches (thirty three centimeters) between the open top and bottom and a diameter sufficient to receive at least some part of a human female wearer's torso. A decorative band of material operatively attached (e.g by serging) to the interior skirt adjacent the open bottom thereof and having a width in the dimension of elongation of at least about three inches (seven and one half centimeters) past the open bottom of the interior skirt. And, an exterior skirt or dress of non-shapewear material surrounding the interior skirt. The interior skirt and exterior skirt or dress are constructed and positioned during use so that when worn by a human female the exterior skirt or dress covers at least most of, and preferably substantially all of, the shapewear but does not cover at least a significant portion of the decorative band.
The details of the interior skirt are preferably as set forth above.
It is a primary object of the present invention to provide a versatile garment of shapewear for use by a human female as either an undergarment, outer garment, or undergarment partially providing an outer garment. This and other objects of the invention will become clear from a detailed description of the specification, and from the appended claims.